Chapter 10 #3
“I know what you mean. I got to make my first pizza today, and I didn’t mess it up.
Even when it came out of the oven, I was proud of it so much that I took a picture.
Of course, everyone teased me about it, but I don’t care.
I had a wonderful day too. Except that my feet hurt.
I’m going to have to get myself some different shoes.
” He told her that he was proud of her, too, and asked her to send him the picture.
He was going to use it for his homepage so that he could see her pizza all the time.
“You’re being goofy now. I love you for it, however. Thanks. I’ll send it to you now.”
She did that and laughed when he told her that it was the best-looking pizza that he’d ever seen.
He went on and on about it for so long that she was a little embarrassed.
Once he said that he was coming home, she decided to get dressed up for dinner, even as he said it was just burgers.
She wanted to feel pretty today and was happy that he was excited about his job as well.
They ended up going to their favorite place.
The seafood was always delicious, and they usually got good service.
Tonight was no different in that they had a good time and were stuffed by the time they were finished.
Neither of them wanted dessert, but they did decide to walk around again and found a little bookstore that had all kinds of genres they read.
He ended up buying three books he’d wanted to read, and she found two that she’d been reading from his library that were the next in the series.
Walking back to their car, they talked about reading books. Most people they had surmised used readers, but the two of them liked reading a book with pages to turn and the smell of the printed word. Getting into the car, they kissed, and she asked him what that was for.
“For being who you are.” He started the car, and they were off.
“I’ve been thinking about a way to tell our family that we’re going to have a baby.
I’m sure that you want to tell your parents too, so why don’t we get them all together for a dinner party and tell them then?
Not right away, but in a few weeks. After everything with our jobs has settled down. ”
“I love that idea. Mom has been hinting like crazy that she wants to be a grandma. I didn’t tell her anything, but it’s fun knowing something that she doesn’t.
It’s going to be fun when we tell them all at one time.
” He said that he could plan the party and they’d not have to do anything, as they’d have it catered.
“I love that idea too. They’ll even do the cleanup, and that will be nice for the staff.
It’s nice having the money to do that, but I’d not want to do it all the time. That could be really expensive.”
“This is a special occasion and should be fun.” She agreed with him and decided they’d have something to do with seafood, too.
“I like that. I think that most of my brothers like seafood, and it would be fun to get them all together to have some. We could even have some steaks on the grill to have a good variety.”
She did wonder what it was going to cost and decided that she didn’t care. It was a celebration, and they should go all out. As soon as they were home, she decided that she was too tired to stay up late and headed up to bed. When Wylie joined her in the bedroom, she asked him if he was all right.
“I heard from my brothers. They tried to get to McGee to see what was going on out at the Sheep. Apparently, they didn’t have any more luck than you did.
But they did get a little information about the people who had been killed.
They know now that at least twenty have been killed, and there are still the missing employees.
They seem to think that it’s the woman at the pizza shop.
Don’t ask me why they think that. I don’t understand any more than I could explain it to you.
” He laughed. “I don’t know that the two of them should be hanging out together.
They seem to have trouble following them around.
And if that’s not happening, they make trouble when there is no reason to.
They’ve been like that since they were kids.
Also, Raphael thinks that the girl I was talking about is in on the cover-up somehow and that she’s going to be a key witness in what’s going on out there.
I have no idea where they come up with their theories. ”
She was still smiling when she closed her eyes.
Tomorrow she had to work again and was looking forward to it.
While out tonight, she’d picked herself up some tennis shoes that she could wear to work and was happy that she’d remembered the name brand of the ones that most of the staff wore.
Perhaps she’d make a sub tomorrow and be ready to take on orders for herself.
She was looking forward to becoming reliable for them and was happy that she’d applied for the job.
It was going to be fun getting out of the house from now on, and she didn’t care that she didn’t need the money.
Awake at seven, she was getting dressed when she heard from her mom.
She wanted to have lunch tomorrow, and she didn’t have to work.
After telling her about her job, her mother tsked at her about taking jobs from those who needed them, and she explained that no one else had come in to apply for the job, so she got it.
“I hope you’re only working part-time.” She said that she was only working a couple of days a week.
“That’s good. Now that you’re not working for the department, we can have lunch more often instead of being on a time constraint because you have to get back to work.
I’m going to love being around you more often. ”
“I’d like that as well. I’m only working to get out of the house.
I don’t want to have lunch with you every day, but a couple of times would be great.
I miss you too.” Her mom said she wasn’t getting any younger and didn’t want to waste time without seeing her only child.
“Don’t talk like that. You’re young yet, and I’m not going to think about you dying today.
I’m having a wonderful day—I got to talk to you, so don’t talk about dying right now. ”
“I’m sorry. A friend of mine’s daughter was killed in a car accident this morning.
Someone ran a stop sign, and when she tried to avoid it, the police said that she hit another car head-on.
She was declared dead at the scene.” She told her that she was sorry, and she was.
Especially when she heard that she was only thirty-one years old.
“Such a waste of life. She had so much going for her that my heart breaks for her husband. They didn’t have any kids, but they’d only been married for a few years. ”
“I’m going to change the subject now. I hope that’s all right.
I don’t want to talk about people dying anymore.
” She said she was sorry. “Don’t be. I just hurt for them too, and I didn’t even know them.
I’m looking forward to having lunch with you tomorrow, and we’ll talk about fun things.
Maybe we can get a little shopping done.
I have a few things on my list that we still need for the house.
Would you mind going with me to get them? ”
“I’d love to spend more time with you. Yes, I’ll be happy to join you.
I have a few things on my list as well. Perhaps you can not buy all of it, and I can get you something for Christmas.
I’m guessing that you and Wylie will have a large tree since this is your first holiday together.
” She said they’d not talked about it. “It won’t be long now.
The leaves are changing, and before you know it, it’ll be Thanksgiving again.
That’s my favorite holiday. Please say that you’ll make some time to come to our house that day. I’d miss you if you didn’t.”
“I don’t know what the plans are. Since I’m new to the family, I’m playing it by ear this time.
Maybe we could have you guys over with his family.
I think that Kinsey and Meggie are going all out this year, too.
” She said that she’d miss cooking but was looking forward to whatever she wanted her to do. “Thanks, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you too, darling.” She laughed a little, and it made her smile.
“I was just thinking that it would be a good time to tell us all that you’re expecting.
I know that Meggie is now, and when I saw her in town the other day, I would swear that she was glowing.
I’d love to have a baby around to spoil for the holidays. ”
“We’ve only been married for a few months. Sheesh, Mom, give it some time. I just retired from the police force.” She said that she knew but could hope for it. “You keep on hoping, and I’ll see what I can do.”
After getting off the phone with her mom, she made her way to work.
It was going to be a good day today, she could just feel it in her bones.
She’d work hard and be able to hold her head up high when, at the end of the day, she’d learned something.
And she was planning on learning a great deal with her new job and was going to have fun while she was at it.